TRANMIRE ROCKS
O.S. Sheet 93 573008
Aspect West South West
Altitude 330m
Approach time 20 minutes
Situation and Character
This band of rocks borders the Moor of Broad Ings behind Bilsdale Hall. The crag extends for more than 300 metres and consists of small buttresses separated by moorland. The rock is good quality sandstone offering enjoyable climbing in a pleasant situation. Most of the climbs are reasonably clean but due to the crag’s history of access problems/spasmodic development, some cracks and ledges have re-sprouted heather and grass and would benefit from a light clean. One problem with the crag is its paucity of natural belays, and it is worth considering carrying a belay stake or using a second belayer. It is also worth noting that some of the buttresses stay wet for a few days after rain due to seepage from the moor above, although there are usually sufficient dry routes to satisfy most parties.
History
The first recorded route on these rocks dates from 1956 when J. Jackson and H. Piercy climbed Bunny’s Buttress; and in the next five years these two climbers together with W.J. Dell, J.Tilly and Terry Sullivan added over twenty climbs, including Flake Traverse, Bee Line, Pluto and the excellent Jupiter. In the next decade only one new climb was reported, Trapeze, by Tony Marr and Ken Jackson in 1965. The publication of a new guidebook in 1970 led to renewed interest in the crag and to new climbs, the first being the delightful Mosque by John Adams and John Gordon. Tony Marr and Ken Jackson were again active at this time, adding Greasy Corner, Flying, Linda, the fine variation finish to Jupiter and the interesting Oak Tree Crack. Outside interest was also stimulated with Pete Whillance visiting the rocks early in 1971 and claiming the three excellent and difficult routes, Fern Groove, Old Wedge Route and Heather Wall. Also in 1971 Ron Lake and Alan Dewison, fresh from a climbing holiday in the Dolomites free climbed an old artificial route to produce Wedges another of the crag’s harder climbs. Activity then again declined, due in part to access problems and there were no further developments until 1988 when Steve Brown with Dave Paul added The Sequence, and Focus; both are difficult problems in keeping with other hard climbs being developed in the area at that time. During preparation work for this guide in the autumn of 2000, several routes were added by Frank Fitzgerald, Alan Taylor and Tony Marr, these include Frank’s Slab, The Thug, and Tough Enough. No significant routes have been reported since then and it is a pity that this fine crag has such a history of spasmodic development. Maybe the next generation of climbers will make amends!
Access and Approaches
Leave the main Great Broughton to Helmsley road just after the Chop Gate sign by a minor road on the left, pass through Seave Green, to Bilsdale Hall. There is a history of access problems at this crag related to car parking in the vicinity of the Hall. Do not cause an obstruction and do not park near the church, hall or farm. A gate on the right of Bilsdale Hall marks the beginning of a bridleway, which soon swings up the hill towards a red tiled barn near a group of tall pine trees. Just beyond the barn is a gate in the dry stonewall. This point being reached in 15-20 minutes. To reach the climbs described first, pass through the gate and turn left. To reach the main crag, turn right just before the gate and follow the wall to the where the crag soon comes into view. Do not cut across to crag by track half way up.. Alternatively If no parking can be found near Bilsdale Hall the Chop Gate car park may be used and the crag approached via William Beck Farm, turning left (North) along the track at the moor’s edge. STRICTLY NO DOGS.
The Climbs
To access the first climbs, pass through the gate and turn left following the wall for about 100metres to where the rocks will be found. The climbs described start at a large embedded block forming a slab at the left end of escarpment.
The Quarry
1. Easy Slab 7m M
Climb the slab just left of the arête.
F. Fitzgerald, M Tooke 24/9/00
2. Interloper 8m VD
Climb the slanting wall just right of the arête, up the diagonal fault to finish up the corner.
A. Taylor 24/9/00
3. Holy Holy 6m VD
Ascend the wall past the holes to end on the corner.
T. Marr 24/9/00
The next climb lies about 15m to the right, on a bulge of rock, just right of a crack sprouting a tree.
4. The Nose 6m VS 4c
Start just left of the nose of the buttress. Pull onto the bulge by an awkward step, trend up right to escape.
A. Taylor, T. Marr. 1/10/00
5. Frank’s Slab 8m VD
Start at the toe of the buttress 4m right of the last route. Climb the slab immediately right of the corner then continue to the tree. Enjoyable.
F. Fitzgerald, M .Tooke 1/10/00
6. Alan’s Slab 6m HD
Climb the slab 2m right of the last route via the obvious flake.
A. Taylor, and team. 1/10/00
The next climbs are on the impressive buttress to the right, which is capped by a stunted oak.
7. Fern Groove 8m E2 5b
The left edge of the buttress is split by a shallow groove. The climb follows this direct.
8. Old Wedge Route 8m E1 5b
To the right of Fern Groove is a steep wall split by a thin crack. Climb the crack, which may still have an old wedge in place.
9. Greasy Corner 8m HS 4b
Climb the excellent flake crack just right of the last climb.
10. Heather Wall 8m E2 6a
This climb is much harder than it used to be due to the demise of a large flake at its start.
Start 2m right of Greasy Corner. Pull over the overlap into the groove; trend left then back right to a resting place.
Surmount the final nose directly at first then step left and up. Good strenuous climbing.
11. Leftovers 7m VD
Start around the arête right of Heather Wall. Climb straight up a shallow fault, then the slabs above.
T. Marr, A. Taylor 1/10/00
4m to the right across a heather gully is a steep wall.
12. Dawn Crack 5m HS 4b
Climbs the slanting fault and short crack in the left side of the wall. Harder than it looks!
T. Marr, P.Shawcross, F.Fitzgerald 1/10/00
13. Evening Time 5m HVS 5b
Start just right of Dawn Crack and climb the steep wall past a slot, to a tricky finish. Strenuous.
Steve Crowe 11th August 2000 solo
14. Trend Lightly 4m VS 5a
Ascend with increasing difficulty the obvious slanting fault in the right side of the wall.
Steve Crowe 11th August 2000 solo
Streamside Buttress
The following twelve climbs are really boulder problems reaching a maximum height of 4m.They are to be found on three isolated buttresses just before the main crag is reached. The climbs are reached by passing through the gate and turning right where in 30m a steep wall and slab near a stream will be found. The first climb starts near the left end of wall:
15. Banana S
Layback up the curving fault.
16. Gravity Groove S
Layback the heathery groove 3m right of Banana.
17. Slab & Mantle S
Follow the thin crack in the slab.
18. The Ripper 5a
The steep corner is climbed by delicate bridging.
19. Shallow Corner 4c
The tiny corner 2m right of The Ripper.
On the slab next to the dry stream bed are the following routes.
20. Obscure Arête 5c
The short arête can be climbed mainly on its right side.
Steve Crowe 11 August 2000
21. Open Groove 5c
Precarious layaways should lead to the top.
21a. Child In Time 5c
Climb the wall and then bulge direct, without use of the shelf.
Franco Cookson
22. Slab Mantelshelf VD
Mantelshelf onto a small ledge about 3m up and then to the top.
23. Slab Groove VD
The slab leads to a short groove at mid height. This is followed to the top.
23a. Slab Face
Climb the face just left of Slab Edge.
David Warburton
24. Slab Edge D
Follows the right edge of the wall on good holds.
Twin Buttress
25m to the right is another buttress formed by two walls separated by a heather slope. A low level traverse is possible at 4b across the left wall. The following climbs are on the right hand wall.
25. Linda S
Start at the left hand end of the undercut base of the wall. Climb to a flat ledge then continue directly up the wall.
26. Spikey HS 4b
Climb the centre of the undercut base, 2m right of Linda. Climb over the undercut and up the wall above to finish by a small spike on poor holds.
27. Long Player D
Start just right of the undercut and climb the slabs at the right edge of the buttress.
The next climb lies on a steep wall 5m right of the dry stonewall.
28. Vee 5m HS 4b
Climb the thin crack line in the left side of the wall.
29. The Thug 6m HVS 5b
To the right of Vee is a slanting crack. Climb the crack and short wall above. The name says it all.
A. Taylor, T. Marr 17/9/00
15m right is a buttress with the remains of a dead tree at its top.
Tranmire Pinnacle
30. Flying 8m VS 4c
Start directly below the obvious short corners at the top of the face. Climb a flake to a ledge then follow the corners to the top.
31. Trapeze 7m HVD
Start in a niche below the dead tree. Climb the niche for a few feet until it is possible to gain a ledge on the right. Finish up the slanting groove to the tree stump.
5m right is a small pinnacle in front of the main buttress.
32. RD’s 5m D
Climb the left hand side of the pinnacle.
33. Centre Line 6m VS 5a
Climb the centre of the front face without deviation. Bold.
34. Gee Bee 7m VD
Climb the pinnacle by the crack and arête on its right hand edge.
Approximately 25m further right is a small buttress with a prominent wide crack at its left hand end and a holly bush at its right.
Holly Tree Buttress
35. Fils Folly 5m MS
Ascend the slab to the left of the crack using it for side holds. Interesting.
36. Third Degree 5m S
Ascend the crack.
37. Winker’s Wall 5m VS 4c
The wall to the right of Third Degree provides an awkward climb.
38. Ramblers Pushover 3m D
The crack to the right of Winker’s Wall.
The Main Rocks
39. Grumpy 5m D
Starts at the right hand edge of a large block, at the left end of the main rocks and 7m right of a holly tree. Climb the crack on the right of the block, steep at first, to finish left by the stonewall.
(There is a shorter but harder variation start up the crack on the left side of the block at VD).
40. Spread Eagle 7m VD
Start 2m right of Grumpy. Ascend a short groove to a ledge; continue up left into a subsidiary groove and the top. A slightly easier variation finish can be made by stepping right at the ledge and following the rising corner.
41. Golden Eagle 8m HS
Start 1m right of the last climb. Ascends the smooth slab to the right of the groove to join Spread Eagle in the top corner.
42. Girdle Traverse 50m VS 5a
A left to right traverse of the buttress. Start 5m right of Golden Eagle below an obvious sloping shelf about 2m up. Gain the shelf by some moves up to the left, then traverse right following the weakness at an almost constant level to finish up Pluto. The route contains some delightful pieces of climbing at a varied standard.
43. Tough Enough 8m HVS 5a
Start just right of the Girdle Traverse. Pull over the bulge and head towards a flake of rock on the right, just before the flake climb straight up to finish on a short crack. Good, but poorly protected climbing.
A. Taylor, T. Marr 17/9/00
Tony climbed the top half by mistake for Flake Traverse, Alan added the independent start.
44. Flake Traverse 12m HVS 5a
Start 9m right of Golden Eagle. Ascend a short crack to a slab, which leads to a flake of rock on a sloping ledge. Traverse 4m left to a concave wall, which is climbed direct. Good climbing but bold and poorly protected.
45. Bee Line 8m VS 4c
Start as for Flake Traverse but instead of moving left continue up the crack above to the top.
46. Lacuna 8m S
Start 4m right of Flake Traverse beneath the obvious groove. Climb the short wall and slab to the corner crack, which is followed to the top.
47. Tranmire Crack 7m VD
Start 4m right of Lacuna at a small cave. Climb the corner crack.
48. Tranmire Groove 7m M
Start 3m right of Tranmire Crack. The obvious climb running leftwards on broken rocks.
49. Jupiter 7m VS 4c
Start just right of Tranmire Groove. Gain the thin cracks by a move from the right, continue straight up. A good route.
50. Variation Finish 8m VS 4c
Start as for Jupiter but keep right following the rising ledges. Good climbing.
HEALTH WARNING:
The following three routes are potentially unsafe. The whole wall sounds very hollow.
51. Neptune 8m S
Start at a corner 5m right of Jupiter. Climb a short wall, cross the shelf and move up into the vee groove to finish.
52. Pluto 8m HS 4b
Start 4m right of Neptune, climb a short wall to the overhang. Make for a nick in the skyline.
53. Mosque 8m VS 4c
Start 2m right of Pluto, climb the wall direct.
To the right of this buttress is a short chimney with a chockstone.
The Main Rocks - Righthand
54. Snakes and Ladders 8m VD
Start at the foot of a buttress 5m beyond the chimney. Easy steps to a ledge the move left to a flake. This is the first of three large steps laid against the wall. From the last step an easy finish lies to the left. A more interesting finish is to traverse back onto the wall and so to the top.
55. Wedges 8m E1 5b
Lies 10m right of Snakes and Ladders. The climb is up a diagonal overhanging crack containing old wedges. Good.
56. The Sequence 8m E3 6a
To the right of Wedges is an impressive stepped corner. Climb the corner, pull right and finish up a short crack. Sustained and strenuous.
Steve Brown, Dave Paul 1988
57. Focus 8m E2 5c
Start 3m right of the last route. Climb the wall and gain the thin crack above the roof, this is followed to a junction with the final few moves of The Sequence.
Steve Brown, Dave Paul 1988
58. Godiva 8m VD
Start 3m right of Focus. Ascend the dirty cracks to a heather ledge. Escape up the final chimney on the right.
A variation start can be made by climbing the short chimney 3m to the right.
59. Oak Tree Crack 8m S
A few metres right of Godiva is a small oak tree at the top of the crag. Ascend a short crack in the first wall to the ledge, then hand jam up the final crack to the tree.
60. Never So Far 8m VS 4b
Immediately right of the stonewall is a crack. Ascend the crack then step right under the overhang. Pull over the bulge and escape up a shallow recess.
T. Marr, M. Tooke 1990
The next climb starts in the alcove beneath the large overhang.
61. Skylark 6m S
Climb up under the overhang then trend right to easier ground.
Another old route, Poky Chimney, D, ascended through the chockstones wedged in the chimney. Remains of a rock fall now make this look virtually impossible and certainly unwise.
A wire fence abuts the crag at this point and just right of this is :
62. Black Wall 7m S
Climb onto a shelf then directly up the black lichen stained wall into the open chimney.
T. Marr 28/9/00
The next few routes are currently heavily overgrown and dirty, but are included for historical reasons. Perhaps some keen person may return them to their former glory in due course.
63. Squeezy 7m D
About 15m right of the fence is a left trending ramp leading to a short crack and chockstone.
64. Bunny’s Buttress 8m D
This was the first recorded route on the crag, but has now sadly almost disappeared under heather and bracken.
Start 5m right of Squeezy. Gain a narrow ledge with a small cave. Continue up the heathery slabs.
65. Hangover 5m VD
About 3m beyond the last climb is a large boulder. Climb the overhang direct, bridge the gap and finish on the main buttress.
SOUTH TRANMIRE ROCKS
This group of boulders lays approximately 200m further south just behind the plantation.
Two routes are recorded on a slab of rock at the left end.
Mumbo D
The left side of the slab.
Jumbo D
The right side of the slab.
FAR TRANMIRE ROCKS
The final buttress is about one kilometre to the south and conspicuous on a spur of the moor.
Intake Wall 5m VD
Start in a wide gully. Climb the centre of the left wall.
Slape Slab 6m D
At the right side of the rocks is a recess. Ascend the slab until a traverse right leads to easier climbing.
Tony Marr 12/10/00.
Full details in the
North East England Guide